Ryerson University has officially been renamed Toronto Metropolitan University.
Last August, the institution’s board of directors voted for a name change due to growing concerns over Egerton Ryerson, the man who the university had been named after, and his involvement with Canada’s residential schools.
Amid the finding of unmarked graves at former residential schools earlier this year, Egerton Ryerson’s statue, which once stood centrally on the school’s campus, was knocked over.
“I cannot think of a better name than Toronto Metropolitan University,” the school’s president and vice-chancellor Mohamed Lachemi said in a statement.
“Metropolitan is a reflection of who we have always been—an urban institution dedicated to excellence, innovation, and inclusion and who we aim to be—a place where all feel welcome, seen, represented and celebrated.”
In recent years, staff and students have called for the university to make a name change as Egerton Ryerson has been known to be one of the primary architects of the residential school system.
The university’s Standing Strong (Mash Koh Wee Kah Pooh Win) Task Force made 22 recommendations for the school’s new name. The institution announced in a news release that Truth and Reconciliation were at the forefront of considerations for the new name and officials are dedicated to including all of the task force’s recommendations.
Changing the name of the university and recognizing the flawed legacy of Egerton Ryerson by sharing materials and increasing opportunities to learn about Indigenous history, as well as Indigenous-colonial relations, were included in the 22 recommendations created by the task force
“This is a very important moment in our university’s history as we move forward with a name that better reflects our values and can take us into the future,” said Lachemi.
